


Long May You Run

by FranTastic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Operation Mongoose, Episode spoilers-Mother, F/M, Knight!Rumple, Other, Post-Curse Storybrooke, Season Finale, Sir Rumple, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-29 10:12:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3892495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FranTastic/pseuds/FranTastic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the author writes "Heroes and Villains", Belle and Rumple both realize they are in a AU.  Adventure and drama ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Long May You Run

**Author's Note:**

> The promo and subsequent discussions got some plot bunnies moving around. The rating might go up. I have this image in my head of a knight and a lady off on adventures, but I don't know if that sounds appealing to anyone else. Any thoughts are welcome!
> 
> Any spelling error/grammar mistakes are my own. Everything else belongs to ABC.

It took Belle a moment to realize where she was. One moment she had been talking to Will in the library, and the next…she was here. Wearing a corset. Again. Confused, she looked around quickly, and she realized she was standing in some kind of large fabric tent. She noticed there was a table with papers on it as well as various wooden chairs, wooden stools and cushions strew about. Where WAS she?

“My lady?”

Belle stopped staring at her surroundings and looked at who was speaking, and her jaw dropped at the sight of the knight before her. “Rumple?!”

He was wearing armor. His helmet was off and under one arm so his longish hair curled slightly just above his shoulders. His armor couldn’t quite be called gold, but it have a yellow sheen to it. The breastplate had some kind of filigree design in the shape of a tree, while we was wearing wearing a thick leather coat underneath. It would be warm, but wouldn’t restrict his movement like metal plating on his arms would. He had on snug fitting leather pants, again not the fully traditional armor, but it would make it easier for him to walk and to ride horses. He looked shocked and confused to hear her say his name. He tried to respond. “Rumple? My lady….I..”

While he was speaking, Belle hadn’t seen him since yesterday in the shop when he had given her back her heart from Regina. That had been yesterday right? He had walked out with no expectation that she would follow, and she had been in turmoil and confusion ever since. In that moment he had looked nothing like the man she had married. That confidence and wit that had so enchanted her in the Dark Castle was gone, and he had looked exhausted and defeated. But now combined with the strange new outfit, he looked different. As if he was lighter. More at ease.

She looked down at her dress and noticed that it was a pale blue gown with puffy short sleeves. Hardly appropriate for the time period the Enchanted Forest was set in, but the fashion around here rarely did make sense. And then it hit her, as she took a deep inhale of shock, she was back in the Enchanted Forest. This tent was like the tents that had been set up during her father’s tournaments and games for knights, this dress had been the one her father had insisted she wear to ‘appeal to the young men Belle, give them something to aim for’.

Looking at Rumple again her heart sank and then instantly her blood began to boil. Rumplestiltskin was here to! And since he was standing in armor and didn’t have his lizard scales or his Dark One leathers on he must have done something to bring them all back here! Putting her hands on her hips she stopped him from speaking and shouted “Yes Rumplestiltskin I said your name. Apparently we are back in the Enchanted Forest and what the hell did you do this time?”

He stepped back shocked, and she knew from the shock in his eyes that he knew who she was. And that he knew that she knew as well. She couldn’t find it in herself to care about that right then. She was furious. She knew he had been searching for the author back in Storybrooke, looking for happy endings for the villains. Will and the Charmings had warned her that perhaps Rumple would come for her to force her and Rumple to be together, but never in a million years did she think that he would actually do anything like that. Hadn’t she told him? “No one chooses my fate but me”.

“I can’t believe that you’ve done this Rumple! How could you think that I would be okay with this? How could you force me to come here? Where is everyone?”

He continued to stare at her blankly and shook his head. Looking at her with a confused expression he gaped at her and said “Belle?” She felt a surge of rage and disappointment wash over her again. They had faced so many challenges, and yet here they were. Again. “Yes Belle! What have you done Rumple? Why did you..” Before she could really get going into her rant, he interrupted her and holding up his hands in a sign of surrender, “Belle, sweetheart. What are you doing here?”

_______________________

If looks could kill Rumplestiltskin would be dead. As his estranged wife stared daggers at him Rumplestiltskin shook his head again and tried to get his bearings. He wasn’t sure what had happened. The last thing he clearly remembered he had been on the floor of his shop feeling the last bits of his goodness slipping away from him. He had been talking to the Author. Isaac. Issac the author. He had already asked to not remember Storybrooke or anything that had happened before once the author started writing . It had been difficult to breathe and he was gasping. “Make sure this curse never existed. It is too dark to be out there in the world with anyone. I had thought if the savior was dark it would be attracted to her and she could defeat it somehow, but it is far too volatile. This curse is too powerful.” He remembered Isaac looking at him with a smirk on his face. Rumple had never liked the man, but he had been a means to an end. “You know I can’t make the Dark One curse just vanish Rumple. If I could do that, I would have done it years ago.” “You mean if you had wanted to do that. I’m sure you think the curse of the Dark One makes for a compelling story. ” That statement had taken nearly all of his energy to get out and he was pleased to see the smirk fall off the Author’s lean face. “But compelling or not, soon my story here will come to an end, and we can’t have a free Dark One running around.” The pain in his chest was almost unbearable now, it was taking all of his energy to try to breath normally. Isaac looked at him “And what of the other villains? Do you still want happy endings for them?”

Rumple remembered that he had promised happy endings for all the villains he had met on the way back to Storybrooke, but nearly all of them all had happy endings now. Evil Zelena was acting out her petty jealousy of her sister, Regina had found contentment in the world, Mal had found her daughter, and Ursula had been reunited with her father. He supposed that he could ask for Cruella to have her happy ending, but he knew the author couldn’t bring back the dead. Another searing burning pain passed through his chest. If he had more time, he would have figured out a way to get sweet revenge on Zelena either here on in the author’s universe. But time was running short. “They already have their happy endings” he gasped. “Although if you want to do something awful to that bitch Zelena I wouldn’t object. Maybe something with monkeys.” He had tried to laugh at that, but ended up having a long coughing fit instead. The Author looked at him in concern, but Rumple spoke before Isaac could once again ask what was wrong. “Don’t ask me if I am alright again. It is nothing. Just make this new world a fair one. Stop trying to stack the deck against one group or another for the sake of a story. There are so such things as heroes and villains, only people.”

He remembered the Author had rolled his eyes at this statement. “Fine. And what of your wife?” “You mean my estranged wife.” Rumple felt an ache in his chest that had nothing to do with the curse taking over his soul at speaking those words, but he knew he had to do the right thing. He had proved that he was not worthy of her love time and time again. Even if this new story changed what kind of man he was, even if that man was the best version of himself that was free of the Dark One, the man that he so longed to be, the man would finally be worthy of her, Belle should be able to make the decision to take him back on her own. In the new story he had to earn her love, what good would it be if it wasn’t real? Would it be true love if it were just something the author wrote for her instead of from Belle choosing him? Just like her, he wanted to be chosen. Rumple cleared his throat and spoke: “Belle should be free to make her own choices. She should be able to go on adventures if she chooses. Be a queen if she chooses. Love who she chooses. If she is happy, then there is nothing else I could want for her.” The Author had frowned at this. Rumple remembered thinking the man was going to put up an argument, but then another coughing fit seized him and he felt his eyes growing heavy as the curse took over. “Hurry. You are running out of time.” As the air grew heavy around him, Rumple remembered thinking of his love for Belle and how he hoped she would be happy, and then he had found himself in this tent wearing heavy armor and standing across from her. For a split second he thought had he had died and gone to heaven, but then she had started yelling.

________________________

“What do you mean what am I doing here? You did something with that author!”

Belle’s hands tightened into fists as she found herself holding back tears of frustration and anger. “How many times can you betray me Rumple? And here I had thought you had let me go, that you were giving me space to sort through my feelings, when all the time you were planning this!” At that moment she felt a surge of panic race through her. Will might have only been a rebound to pass the time, but she still cared about what happened to him. “What did you do to Will?” she screeched stepping towards him and pointing her finger at his chest.

Rumple stepped back momentarily at her onslaught, but then caught himself “I didn’t do anything Belle! I have no idea where that scrappy thief is! I didn’t even think you would be here!”

“I don’t believe you Rumple. You were working with the Author to bring villains their happy endings and here we…”

“All I did was tell him was to stop me from being cursed!” he shouted over her. Belle dropped her hands and stepped back, turning away from him. He debated for a split second not telling her what he had told the author to do for her, but he knew he had to be honest His lack of honesty had been a big part in what had driven her away. “I told him to make you free to make your own choices! To let you be happy! All I wanted was for you to be happy. I never in a million years thought that would be with me!” 'Not anymore. Not after what I did.’ Rumple thought to himself. The honorable man he was didn’t want to burden her with that. He sighed, “The curse was taking over. My heart was turning black, and I was dying. The Dark One would have taken over everything. I didn’t even think about your thief until you mentioned him right now. I’m sorry Belle, I don’t know what happened.”

Belle turned around and glared at him. Rumple still had his helmet under his right arm, but he had dropped his head and was staring at the floor. She took a deep breath to keep herself from yelling again. “You say you don’t know Rumple, but you do. You came back to Storybrooke for the author. Even if you say you never intended this to happen, you still had the author create a new story for everyone. That is still not okay.” Rumple’s shoulders dropped and he shook his head sadly. “I know Belle. I just had to stop the curse. It was putting everyone at risk.” Belle frowned. “Then why didn’t you just tell people that Rumple? Why did you always have to play with words?” He looked up at her confused. “I did tell you.” She started to open her mouth to argue but Rumple cut across her, “I did. At the well. When Regina had your heart. I didn’t realize at the time I was so happy to see you, but she erased your memories.” Belle sighed. She had forgotten about Regina. Rumple continued “I had told Regina to. I specifically said ‘you don’t want to face the Dark One when no one else is home’ But I think she was so happy to see me suffering because of what she thought happened with Robin and Zelena that she ignored me. Or was too stupid to care. Only the author seemed to pick up on what I was saying.”

Belle let out a puff of frustrated air, walked over and sat in one of the wooden chairs by the table facing Rumple again. She wanted to cry. Why did everyone try to use her as a pawn to get to Rumple? First Hook and now Regina. It was frustrating. “I’m so tired of being a pawn in everyone’s games Rumple. I know you thought this would just be a new story, but I’m here and very much aware of what has happened. For a man who plans four steps ahead of everyone else, you should have been able to predict what the author would do.”

Rumple looked up at her again and she couldn’t quite place the emotion that flickered over his face as he spoke. “I know Belle. And I don’t expect forgiveness. I made yet another mistake. But since you know who you are, what you believe, and what happened in the past, you will be able to truly live. Your choices will be your own. I will continue to honor that. If you want to get back to Storybooke I will make it my duty to get you back there. I don’t know how that will work since we are in the author’s universe but we will find a way. If you want to go on adventures here, I will be your knight and protect you. If it is acceptable to you of course. But since we don’t know if everyone else remembers for the moment I would argue that we will have to work together.” Belle opened her mouth to say something, but Rumple continued on. “Regardless of what the author appears to want in this universe of his, we are still estranged. My only concern now is your happiness. You were always too smart for the people of this land, and if it gets out that the wife of a knight is running around Avonlea alone, you will not succeed in whatever it is you wish. It is again your decision of course.”

While he was speaking Rumple worried for a moment about what would happen with the Dark One curse if he returned to Storybrooke, but he pushed that to the back of his mind for the time being. What mattered was Belle’s happiness and ability to choose, and he would stay behind in the author’s universe alone if he had to keep her safe. He looked at Belle, who had her arms crossed over her chest, and sighed. “Belle. I just don’t know if there is another option, although I’d be willing to hear it.” Belle sighed as well and nodded. “I agree Rumple. For the moment, we are allies. That does not make us a team or that I am taking you back once we get home. My choice is to return home.“

‘Lucky for him I was going to argue this plan myself.’ Belle thought privately. ‘If we are the only ones with our memories intact, we are going to have to work together. Even if that means everyone else here thinks we are married, I know and he knows that we are still estranged.’ Belle wasn’t ready to forgive Rumple for everything, although she recognized that he had not planned on forcing them together. That was the author’s doing, although she still wished Rumple had had the foresight to see that coming. Rumple didn’t appear to be cursed anymore, and if what he said was true about the Dark One curse controlling him, that would hopefully would make a difference as they figured out how to get her home. Belle still wanted to have a long discussion about what had happened since he had returned to Storybrooke, and what had happened during the early months of their marriage.

But as she was about to speak again a trumpet sounded. The two of them looked at each other. They both remembered what the trumpets had meant during Belle’s father’s tournaments back in the Enchanted Forest. A new event was set to begin shortly. Knowing her father, it was most likely to be a melee event between 3 or 4 knights. While jousting was between two knights on horses, melee’s were between several knights with weapons battling it out for the pleasure of the crowd and the nobility. Her father would always say “With jousting you only see two men riding at each other to see who has better thigh strength at staying on their horse. It is pointless mindless entertainment Belle. With melee’s you get a better idea of how these men fight in battle.”

“Lady Belle!” The woman Belle and Rumple knew as Ruby Lucas rushed into the tent. She was wearing a maid’s outfit and was panting. She stopped short, and looked at both Belle and Rumple. “Ah, Sir Rumplestiltskin” Ruby curtseyed. Belle knew that Ruby was thinking about how Belle was alone in a tent with a man even if it was her husband, and reminded herself to tell Ruby to keep this to herself. “I had thought you would be at the melee” Belle held back a groan, as she dropped her head into her hands as she realized what this meant. The mission to get back to Storybooke had just became much more complicated. She began to stand up while dusting her hands off on her skirts. She and Rumple were going to have to come up with a plan to leave and come up with it fast.

As Rumple continued to stare with a confused expression at Ruby-she frowned and continued. “The melee Sir Rumplestiltskin. Between yourself, Sir William Scarlet and Sir Gaston LeGume.” Both Belle and Rumple stopped their movements. Knowing what they both did about Belle’s father’s tournament melees, this was not good. This was not good at all. To make it more entertaining the final event at Lord Maurice’s melee’s were always between unmarried knights of the nobleman’s choosing, with his daughter choosing the victor. Not only were they not married, but it appeared as if the author had given Belle a choice after all.


End file.
